Week after a high-level Russia-US dialogue in Saudi Arabia on February 18, the diplomats from two nations will meet once more in Istanbul on Thursday to handle diplomatic disputes and lay the groundwork for broader talks on ending the Ukraine conflict, Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov introduced on Wednesday.
The assembly follows a February 12 name between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. It’s going to initially give attention to enhancing circumstances for diplomats in each international locations, together with embassy staffing and property disputes that escalated underneath the Biden administration, Lavrov mentioned as per a report by Reuters.
“The result of the talks will present how shortly and successfully we are able to transfer,” Lavrov acknowledged, including that diplomatic belief have to be restored earlier than discussing bigger geopolitical points.
As talks advance, each side have signaled curiosity in financial cooperation. Putin this week proposed that the US take part in joint ventures to use uncommon earth deposits in Russia and in occupied Ukrainian territories. Trump’s willingness to have interaction with Moscow—reversing Biden’s coverage of sanctions and diplomatic isolation—has raised issues in Kyiv and amongst European allies about potential US-Russia agreements that sideline Ukraine.
Whereas a Trump-Putin summit is predicted, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned no date has been set. One other cellphone name between the 2 leaders stays doable however isn’t at the moment scheduled.
Peacekeeping drive – ‘No Choice’
Lavrov on Wednesday additionally mentioned that Moscow wouldn’t think about “any choices” for European peacekeepers in Ukraine, dismissing the concept as an try and gasoline the battle moderately than de-escalate it.
French President Emmanuel Macron throughout go to to Washington on Monday, raised the opportunity of deploying peacekeeping troops, suggesting they might assist implement any future peace deal. Trump expressed assist for the concept, stating that Putin had additionally agreed—although the Kremlin later clarified that its stance remained unchanged.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who’s scheduled to fulfill Trump on Thursday, has additionally indicated the UK’s willingness to ship troops as a part of a postwar peacekeeping drive.
Lavrov, nevertheless, reiterated Moscow’s robust opposition to the proposal, making it clear that any suggestion of Russian approval was incorrect.
“We can not think about any choices” on the subject of European peacekeepers, he mentioned throughout a go to to Qatar.
“Trump mentioned {that a} choice on the deployment of peacekeeping forces would solely be doable with the consent of each side. Apparently referring to us and Ukraine. No person has requested us about this,” he added.
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Lavrov, identified for steadily rejecting Western proposals, accused European nations—notably France and the UK—of utilizing the concept to delay the conflict moderately than search peace.
“This strategy, which is being imposed by the Europeans, primarily France, but additionally the British, is aimed toward what I simply talked about: to additional gasoline the battle and to cease any makes an attempt to calm it down.”
Lavrov strengthened Moscow’s place that any settlement should guarantee Russia’s full management over the 4 Ukrainian areas it claims as its personal—regardless of Kyiv’s refusal to acknowledge this.
He additionally rejected the concept of a ceasefire that would go away Russian and Ukrainian forces dealing with off alongside a demarcation line, stating that Moscow needs a settlement that ensures the remaining Ukrainian-controlled territory is much less hostile to Russia and Russian audio system.
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Ukraine has persistently denied allegations that it represses ethnic Russians and Russian audio system.
“Due to this fact, we can not get away with such easy technical measures like deploying troops. We have to discuss concerning the root causes (of the battle),” Lavrov mentioned.
“The basis causes had been the (tried) dragging of Ukraine into NATO and the overall eradication of the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking folks.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
